Audiologic evaluation and management of adults with auditory processing disorders

Over the past decade there has been an increase in the number of adults with persistent hearing complaints coincident with normal audiometric findings who are seeking audiologic follow-up in an effort to determine the basis of their hearing difficulties. Although in some cases the etiology of the hearing difficulties is clearly not related to compromise of the auditory system, in many cases the basis of the difficulties can be linked to auditory system compromise. This article reviews the various etiological bases for these hearing difficulties and the symptoms most commonly reported by adults who fit into this category of patients. The application of peripheral and central auditory tests in the assessment of these patients is described and implications of test findings for management of the individual with these deficits are discussed.